Guantlet
by AvalonXNaruto
Summary: After discovering a mysterious object a chain of events leaves Chloe and Clark in a situation they never expected. will they ever get home? drama, laughter, and utter confusion with a bit of butt kicking. enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

"Clark, you might want to check this out." Chloe Sullivan called over to her best friend/ not so secret crush.

The two teens had recently found a gauntlet buried in the hole that was unearthed when Clark saved Chloe from being buried alive in a steel coffin. They had gone back to the site in an attempt to get rid of Chloe's constant nightmares. The gauntlet was lying in the ground, glowing with a faint purple hue, though once Chloe picked it up the glowing stopped.

The gauntlet it's self was a black and had a metal band where, if worn, would rest on the wearer's wrist. However, on this band there were two small indentions. After speculating what could have made these indentions Chloe concluded that it there must have been jewels in place of the now empty craters on the steel band.

"What did you find?" The raven-haired teen inquired as he neared the sleuthing journalist.

She didn't reply with words but with the action of shoving a small, yet elaborately designed box into his hands. Clark secretly used his X-Ray vision to look inside the object that now resided in his hands. What he discovered though was two small gems that he hoped would fit into the gauntlet they found earlier. He opened the intricate chest and showed the prize to Chloe.

"Do you think…?" She trailed off as she swiftly pulled the gauntlet from the small backpack that was now lying at their feet.

Clark gently placed the gems where he assumed they would fit and both teens were pleased that the hunch was right. The gauntlet began glowing again and it suddenly burst with a blinding white light. The force knocked both Chloe and Clark off their feet and into an adjacent wall; Chloe lying haphazardly on top of the much larger farm boy.

Clark was the first to realize that something was definitely amiss and looked down at the girl sprawled on his torso. Fearing that she might have internal damage he quickly used his X-Ray vision to scan her for any injuries and was relieved that he didn't find any. He looked around the cavern and found that nothing had changed besides the collateral damage from the miner explosion.

"Clark." Chloe moaned as she woke up.

"Are you alright?"

"I've been better. What happened?" She rolled off of him and landed heavily on the dirt ground.

"Let's get out of here." Clark stood and helped Chloe stand on shaky legs. "We'll talk once we get to my truck."

Chloe nodded as she fought her investigative instincts. She leaned most of her weight on his taller frame due to the fact that she was extremely sore and bruised. They eventually made to Clark's red pickup and she gingerly sat down in to the passenger's seat.

However, once they got to the Kent Farm everything changed and both Chloe and Clark realized that they might be physically alright from the explosion but the rest of the world was not. Because as they pulled up to the house they noticed another Clark barging out of the doors with a fierce and frustrated expression on his face. They ducked just in time not to be noticed before the other Clark pulled on his leather jacket and rode off on his motorcycle.

"How are there two of you? I can barely stand one of you." Chloe whisper yelled.

Clark ignored the latter part of her statement and responded with a clueless expression that Chloe found adorable. Placing her feelings for him aside as she normally did she began to think of what could be happening and after realizing there was only one place they could be safe and find answers she began explaining it to Clark, who in turn whole heartedly agreed it was the best solution they could come up with.

"Well," Chloe spoke up after neither of them moved, "let's go."

Clark nodded before climbing out of the truck and walking towards his front door, well he hoped it was his. Deciding it was best to knock; they both waited for the elder Kent's to answer the door.

"What now, Clark, we don't have time for any more of your rude remarks and I thought I told you to." Jonathan was cute of by Martha who had placed a hand on her husband's arm and motioned toward the young journalist they used to consider their own until she moved back to Metropolis.

"Chloe?"

"What's going on?" Jonathan questioned.

"Can we come in? We will explain everything once we get inside." Chloe asked being as polite as she could be.

Once they were all inside and seated at the table the two teens explained their appearance and awaited the Kent's response.

"From what I can tell it seems that either you are the 'good' twins that we never heard about until now or you are from an alternant dimension." Martha responded.

"So what's this 'dimension' like Mrs. K." Chloe interrogated as she wanted to know what kind of world they were _beamed_ to.


	2. Chapter 2

"Seriously." Chloe whispered as she digested what Martha had explained to them about this world.

"It's all true." Jonathan responded; still unsure how to handle these alternate versions of his son and his old playmate.

The two teens looked at each other and without a word communicated their mutual discomfort in the scenario. It turns out the only difference is that Clark and Chloe mostly switched places. Clark was still adopted by the Kent's, but he didn't have his powers leading him to be a hostile boy who commonly wore all black and never spoke to anyone. Chloe on the other hand was the toddler that landed in the cornfield on the day of the meteor shower. She was adopted by Gab and his wife after they found her on the side of the road as they drove home from a meeting at the LuthorCorp plant; however her name wasn't Chloe, but Karen Starr Sullivan. The rest of her personality seems to be the same as far as the Kent's can tell; as they haven't seen her for about three years since the fallout that she and the alternate Clark had over the safety of his motorcycle and the fact he was driving it before he even thought of getting his permit.

"This is a lot to take in and you can come to us for anything, however I must cut this conversation short for now." Martha placed her hands on Clark and Chloe's that somehow found comfort in the other's comforting grasp. "It is far too late and I have an important meeting tomorrow with Clark's teachers about his unacceptable social and classroom behavior."

"Sorry, we didn't mean to impose like this." Chloe rushed and tried to stand and pull Clark with her.

"Don't worry about it, dear." The older woman smiled and let these two very different souls walk out the door before heading upstairs for a goodnights rest. Well at least she hoped it would be.

Once outside the Chloe walked over to the truck that somehow managed to travel with them to this weird universe. One of the things that had occupied her thoughts was the expression on Clark's face when Martha began mentioning the other Chloe's seemingly impossible abilities. Although living in a town like Smallville nothing was truly that impossible. His eyes seemed to glaze over with a twinge of fear and Clark has yet to look at me.

"Chloe, what's wrong?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up into his blue eyes.

"Bedside's being stuck in an alternate universe where apparently the other me has powers and you became an impertinent asshole with antisocial tendencies, I'm fine. But, one thing that I do know is you are holding back information from me. Why did you tense up when Martha told us about my other self's powers? What haven't you-" Chloe's monologue was cut off by Clark's lips placed firmly on hers. There was no movement, just enough pressure to affectively shut her up. However, just as soon as it began he rashly pulled away and took a large step back.

Chloe was having a hard time figuring out what her emotions where doing and she instinctually went to slap him, but his large hand grabbed her wrist. She balled her fist before relaxing her hand and ripping her arm from his grasp. She took a long, heavy, and very shaky breath before pointing an extended finger at his chest and shouting with the ferocity of a lioness on the hunt;

"What the hell was that, Clark? You can't just-" It started as a yell but dialed down to a frustrated growl.

The whole time Chloe was on her rant Clark was fighting his own subconscious battle.

_She was getting too close to finding out. So, I kissed her as a distraction. I shouldn't have done that; messing with a girl's emotions is wrong. She was so close. It was a nice kiss though. I won't lie and say that I wouldn't do that again. Damn it! Am I falling for her? She's my best friend; I really shouldn't. _Clark looked at her; really looked and noticed that even with her hair a total mess; her clothing torn and stained; and the furious expression on her face she was, no is, the most beautifully stunning girl he has ever meet. _That does it. I have fallen for my best friend. Hard._


	3. Chapter 3

Gauntlet chapter 3

Both teens were frozen in their own minds; their hearts battling their brains as they stepped over hot coals attempting to come up with the appropriate actions for their suddenly unstable relationship.

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I should not have done that." Clark's sincerity surprised her and her green eyes snapped up to meet his blue ones.

"No shit, Sherlock." She growled; her shock and anger coming to her as a familiar defense mechanism. "Let's just find somewhere to stay and figure out what to do in the morning."

Simultaneously they climbed into the old red truck with tensions high. They contemplated their next move as Clark ignited the engine.

~Time Skip~

The next morning Clark awoke at dawn as was hardwired into his brain. He looked beside him at the young bodacious blond. She was practically splayed across his torso, her arm draped over his stomach and her head on his strong shoulder. Clark's cheeks grew hot as he began reminiscing about the previous night.

They had to drive all the way to Granville to find a vacant hotel room because of some festival that they never heard of, but was apparently a big event in this universe, and once they did find it the only one they could afford was a dingy room with a single bed and a small inadequate bathroom. This brought up who would get the bed and who would sleep on the lumpy gray chair in the corner. Eventually, Chloe persuaded the persistent, blushing Clark Kent into sleeping in the same bed without anything happening besides actual sleep.

He gently removed himself from under her and placed a pillow where he was, which Chloe snuggled into in her slumber, and slipped out of bed. The young Kryptonian yawned before glancing down at his best friend again. Her mouth was slightly agape and a soft moan departed her soft lips. It stirred something in him that he wasn't quite ready to accept; a warmth that seemed to consume him, which as much as he fought it he also welcomed the glorious feeling. Clark soon came to the realization that he was staring at his, alibi adorable, best friend in a way that felt forbidden and decided it would be in their best interests to get them breakfast before he crosses a line that could never be uncrossed.

Moments later he returned to their dingy room with a paper bag full of pastries and two steamy cups of black coffee. The succulent aroma woke the slumbering journalist with a start.

"Coffee!" Chloe bolted off of the springy mattress and practically tackled the much taller male in her excitement.

"Good morning to you too, Chlo." He chuckled at her juvenile behavior.

"Good morning, Clark." Her piercing green eyes focused on the cup in Clark's large hand. "Can I…?"

He immediately surrendered the scorching beverage and Chloe took a long sip; her eyes glazed over and a lustful moan once again slipped from her lips. Suddenly, Clark envied the steaming liquid for being able to touch those soft lips and for being able to elicit such a glorious sound from those very lips.

"Clark? Clark?" He snapped out of his reverence and noticed her small hand waving in front of his face as she attempted to attain his attention.

"Yes, Chloe?" He stuttered.

"Let's figure out our next move."

He agreed and they fell into a contemplative silence that spanned a good part of the morning. Chloe jumped up with an idea gleaming in her eyes; Clark was startled by the sudden movement, but chuckled at her behavior.

"What's your idea?" Clark questioned, intrigued by how cute she looks when she was excited about something. _'She's so adorable. Why have I never noticed before this parallel dimension stuff happened? It's not like she will like me back though. Maybe when this is over I can ask her to be my date for Spring Formal… yeah, I think I'll do that."_

"… So, we need to go to Metropolis." Chloe finished her speech; the dim light playing in her emerald eyes that reminded Clark of meteor rock.

"I'll drive." He nodded; playing along that he actually listened to what she was said.

**Chloe's Perspective**

About halfway to Metropolis Clark began asking general questions about my plan. I will give him credit for attempting to be subtle about it, but he was failing epically.

"You weren't paying attention earlier; where you?" I chuckled when he tried to feign ignorance. "Clark?"

"No, I was, eh, a bit distracted." He sighed.

"With what?" I was far too curious _not_ to ask. We were the only people in that drab room, so why would he be distracted?

"I would rather not say." His cheeks flushed and I found mine doing the same.

"Why not?" I have a feeling that I need to learn to shut my mouth.

"What's your plan, Chlo?" I knew he was deflecting the question and as much as I wanted to know what was going on in his head, I let it go, for now at least.

"We need to locate the gauntlet again and I have a hunch as to where it might be." I paused to make sure he was listening and with a nod from his head I continued. "I remembered there was an exhibit of sorts in the museum on the gauntlet, obviously it wasn't actually there. But, if the only differences in this universe are you and I having some kind of switch-a-roo type of thing than the exhibit might still exist and it's a good enough lead to figure out what happened." I again noticed a slight twitch when I mentioned the switch.

"This is why you're the investigator, good idea." He gave one of his toothy smiles that always seemed to melt me to the core.

"Thanks" No doubt my cheeks have turned a lovely shade of crimson.

We, again, fell into silence and my thoughts ran back to the kiss; that spontaneous, heart-jerking kiss. _'Does he like me like that? Was it just a way for him to shut me up? I hope not, for the latter that is. If it was why hasn't he done it before? I need to stop dueling on this; I'm just going to wind up getting hurt, again. Still why?'_

" 'Why' what, Chloe?" Guess I said that out loud.

"Why did you kiss me?" Well that was far blunter than I intended. Clark froze, his hands tightened on the wheel and I heard a distinct crack of breaking plastic; he cursed under his breath. I wasn't going to press the now broken steering wheel.

"I don't really know." His voice rang out in a low tambour. _'What type of answer is that!?"_

"What do you mean you 'don't know'?" Seriously, I need to learn to turn off my reporter instincts, considering that when talking to Clark the answer will most likely break me.

"It was an impulse; I don't know why I kissed you, however I don't regret it. The kiss was nice and your lips are insanely soft." He looked over at me and I could see the sincerity in his azure eyes whitch contrasted with the blush on his strong cheeks. Though before I could respond a loud explosion resounded through the air and the truck shook violently from the aftershock.

"What the Hell was that?"


End file.
